Srinagar, CNI: Awami Itehad Party (AIP) Senior Leader and MLA Langate, Sheikh Khursheed, has issued a sharp rebuke to both the Congress and National Conference (NC), as well as the broader INDIA Alliance, over their contradictory and vague positions on the restoration of Article 370 and 35A.
His remarks come in the wake of a confusing stance from Congress’s Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh President, Tariq Hameed Karra, who recently claimed that Congress’s support for NC’s “special status” resolution in the Assembly does not equate to endorsing the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. Meanwhile, NC has continued to assert that “special status” means full restoration of these constitutional provisions.
Sheikh Khursheed criticized the ongoing contradictions between Congress and NC, pointing out that “while NC, which is allied with Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, publicly claims that their call for ‘special status’ implies full restoration of Article 370 and 35A, Congress’s own state leadership dismisses this, creating a deliberate state of confusion and betraying the people of Jammu and Kashmir.” He called on NC Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to clarify his party’s actual stance, questioning whether they are genuinely advocating for the full restoration of Article 370 and 35A or merely using “special status” as a political maneuver without commitment.
“The people of J&K deserve clarity and honesty, not double-talk and empty promises,” said Sheikh Khursheed. “The Congress has repeatedly shown its inability to stand on principle, creating a legacy of confusion that has deeply eroded its credibility.
If National Conference, led by Omar Abdullah, truly believes in the restoration of Article 370 and 35A, they must say so plainly and stop hiding behind vague language.”
Furthermore, the AIP leader directed his challenge to the INDIA Alliance as a whole, calling on it to take a definitive and transparent stance on the issue. “The INDIA Alliance needs to be transparent with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sheikh Khursheed asserted. “Empty rhetoric will not restore the trust of the people—only an honest, unwavering commitment to our constitutional rights can do that. If the INDIA Alliance claims to stand for justice and the aspirations of the people, it must include a clear commitment to the restoration of Article 370 and 35A in its manifesto.”
Sheikh Khursheed concluded by demanding an end to the INDIA Alliance’s “double-speak” on this vital issue, reminding them that their credibility in J&K rests on a clear, honest, and unambiguous position on the region’s constitutional rights. “The people of J&K will not be swayed by hollow statements; they need a concrete commitment to restoring the autonomy and rights that were unconstitutionally stripped away,” he said.
In his statement, Sheikh Khursheed emphasized that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve nothing less than clarity and consistency from political parties that claim to represent them, calling on Congress, NC and the INDIA Alliance to finally deliver on this demand. CNI
